The World's Leading Coffee Guide
The coffees and espressos that appear below demonstrate exceptional value relative to other coffees of similar quality and distinctiveness as reflected in their overall score. These best value coffees often sell out quickly and may no longer be available. Older reviews may no longer accurately reflect current versions of the same coffee.
Quietly rich, savory/sweet. Dark chocolate, black currant, black sage, blood orange, a black-truffle-like hint in aroma and cup. Plump, deep-toned acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Roundly resonant, flavor-saturated finish.
Sweetly bright, balanced, classic. Ripe tangerine, apricot, honeysuckle-like flowers, hazelnut, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. Delicate, lively acidity; lightly plush mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a gently tart, richly balanced finish.
Round, very sweet, suavely balanced. Pluot, roasted cacao nib, brown sugar, violet-like flowers in aroma and cup. Round, juicy acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Cacao nib and brown sugar in particular carry into an ongoing sweet, resonant finish.
Gently and sweetly tart; classic. Tangerine, rhododendron-like flowers, hazelnut, raisin in aroma and cup. Tart but juicy acidity; plush, buoyant mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a continued tart yet sweet finish.
Deep, sweet-toned, balanced. Hazelnut, raspberry, roasted cacao nib, honeysuckle-like flowers in aroma and cup. Richly pungent acidity; lively, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Nut and raspberry carry into a sweet, resonant finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Deep, pungent, cedary. Fudgy dark chocolate, fresh-cut cedar, peach, hints of wisteria and vanilla in aroma and small cup. Creamy mouthfeel; cedar and chocolate carry into a rather drying finish. Particularly fine in three parts milk, where the chocolate richly dominates, nuanced by continued peach and cedar suggestions.
Crisp, quietly juicy. Orange, roasted cacao nib, caramel, wisteria-like flowers, a brisk hint of peppermint in aroma and cup. Gently bright, fruit-toned acidity; satiny mouthfeel. Flavor, particularly an orangy chocolate, saturates a richly drying finish.
Intricate, exhilarating; crisp yet juicy. Honey, roasted cacao nib, tangerine, sandalwood and very complex flowers, particularly rose and jasmine, in aroma and cup. Juicy, gently tart acidity; plush mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but persists in a long, sweet, resonant finish.
Juicy but brisk, intricate. Honey, orange, mango, lilac-like flowers, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Rich acidity; smoothly satiny, lively mouthfeel. Flowers and cacao nib in particular saturate a deep, crisply bittersweet finish.
Sweetly pungent, delicately complex. Honey, tangerine, apricot, lilac in aroma and cup. Gently tart, almost effervescent acidity; very light but silky mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a sweetly resonant, richly drying finish.
Delicate, lively, sweetly tart. Roasted cacao nib, orange marmalade, pear, narcissus-like flowers in aroma and cup. Delicately bright acidity; light, silky mouthfeel. The tart character softens and smoothes in a gently flavor-saturated finish.
Big, round, ringingly sweet, vivacious. Caramel, roasted cacao nib, rose-like flowers, tangelo, saucy cranberry, pear in aroma and cup. Deep, nuanced, lively acidity; velvety mouthfeel. Cacao nib, rose and pear in particular saturate a long, sweet-toned, resonant finish.
Pungent, deep, spicy. Milk chocolate, Concord grape, passion flower, aromatic sandalwood, a hint of savory black truffle in aroma and cup. Tart, juicy acidity; syrupy, lively mouthfeel. Rich, spice-toned, slightly savory finish.
Crisply sweet, giddily lively. Complex flowers (lilac, lavender, freesia), butter, roasted cacao nib, brown sugar, dry berry in aroma and cup. Delicate, sweetly bright acidity; silky mouthfeel. Sweet-toned, flavor-saturated finish.
Rich, crisply balanced, deep. Blood orange, fresh-cut oak, narcissus, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Rich, round, low-toned acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The flowers and a particularly chocolaty cacao nib carry persuasively into a crisp finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Deep, sweetly pungent. Brown sugar, blood orange, apricot, roasted cacao nib, fresh-cut cedar, a hint of narcissus-like flowers in aroma and small cup. Silky mouthfeel. The cacao nib softens to chocolate in a very sweet, smooth finish. Outstanding in three parts milk: a crisp, cedary chocolate dominates, nuanced by the orange and a hint of narcissus.
Intense, dynamic, lush yet crisp. An avalanche of floral notes (rose, lily, gardenia), sandalwood, lemon zest, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart acidity; plush, buoyant mouthfeel. Flavor simplifies but saturates a richly dry finish.
Dynamic, deeply layered, complex. Pungent suggestions of humus-like, moist fresh-fallen leaves, fragrant pipe tobacco, malted barley layer with fruit (honeydew melon, mango, blood orange) and narcissus-like flowers. Gentle, very sweetly tart acidity; lightish but smooth, silky mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates without losing character in a rich, sweet-toned finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Crisp, rich, fudgy. Dark chocolate, butter, fresh-cut cedar, apricot/plum, lavender in aroma and small cup. Buttery mouthfeel. Chocolate and a hint of lavender in a sweet-toned finish. Handles three parts milk with considerable dry, cocoaish authority and continued hints of lavender and stone fruit.
Big, sweet, plumy. Dark chocolate, brandy, ripe strawberry, kumquat, honeysuckle in aroma and cup. Lively, flavor-saturated acidity; satiny mouthfeel. Rich finishing, saturated with flowers and a fruit-toned chocolate.
